The Berlin Bucket List: Everything You Need to Do Before You Die

Life. You only get to do it once, and if you know what you're doing, you'll spend a fair chunk of it in Berlin. Of course, while you're there, you'll want to squeeze every last drop of wondrousness out of the city, which is why we've drawn up this convenient bucket list -- a lineup of all the cool stuff you'll need to do in the German capital while you still can.

The Steamy Guide to Berlin's Naked Saunas

When I moved to Berlin in the cold, gray winter some years back, one of the first things my German boyfriend suggested we do was go to a sauna. What he failed to mention, however, was how, in the Vaterland, it’s normal to sauna buck naked.

Donning a bathing suit -- or even a towel -- is not only a major faux pas; in some local spas, it’s even verboten. And although it was awkward and uncomfortable at first, I now think that going into a public sauna naked is a relaxing, culturally interesting experience that everyone in Berlin should try at least once. Here’s what you need to know:

The (bare) nuts and bolts

First off, being naked in public in Germany is no big deal. It was definitely a culture shock for me at first, but since then, I’ve seen enough nudists sunbathing in parks, and guys in Berghain wearing only sneakers and tube socks, that I must say -- in Berlin, you can’t survive as a prude for very long. In Germany, Freikörperkultur (FKK), or as we know it, nudism, is a national treasure, kind of like beer and lederhosen. Letting it all hang out isn’t sexual, and it certainly is nothing to be ashamed of. And when it comes to saunas, the German logic is that being naked is healthier. Clothes or towels can block toxins and bacteria from leaving the body, not to mention make you overheat.

David VonDerLinn

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8 Cultural Activities To Class Up Your LA Weekend

Sure, it’s great to spend your weekends watching Marvel movies and DVRing Vanderpump Rules on the DL. But sometimes, you want to do something a little more refined. A little more elegant. Perhaps, you’d like to partake in an activity with a little... culture.

If the last “art” exhibit you liked was a beauty influencer's Instagram, it might be time to break out of your routine and tour some of the cultural highlights of Southern California. Luckily, Los Angeles is surrounded by lovely locales that offer the chance to experience fine art, dance, film, and history, all while taking a break from the city. So, plan a weekend day away and visit one of these cultural gems just outside of LA.

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The Most Beautiful Places in Berlin

Berlin’s not exactly known for being beautiful, perhaps because street art and derelict buildings are something of an acquired taste, and decades of division, wars, and David Hasselhoff concerts have left their scars. But dig a little deeper, and you'll find that within this city's diverse streets lie some truly astonishing sights. Here are some of the most downright, unforgettably beautiful.